Title :
Predicting incident energy to better manage the electric arc hazard on 600 V power distribution systems
Author :
Doughty, Richard L. ; Neal, Thomas E. ; Floyd, H. Landis, II
Author_Institution :
DuPont Electron., Wilmington, DE, USA
Abstract :
A test program has been completed to measure incident energy from 6-cycle arcs on 600 V 3-phase electric power distribution systems. Testing was performed using an arc electrode gap of 1.25 inches that had previously produced maximum incident energy for a 600 V power system with a 36.25 kA prospective fault current. The effect on incident energy of enclosing the arcs in a cubic box was determined. Simple algorithms were developed to allow estimation of incident energy at a specified distance from arc electrodes as a function of the available bolted fault current on a 600 V electric power distribution system. A comparison is made with previously published methods for estimating incident energy and safe approach distances. The impact of the estimating algorithm on the management of the electric arc hazard is discussed
Keywords :
arcs (electric); distribution networks; electric shocks; fault currents; health hazards; protection; safety; 1.25 in; 36.25 kA; 600 V; algorithms; arc electrode gap; bolted fault current; electric arc hazard management; incident energy prediction; prospective fault current; safe approach distances; three-phase power distribution systems; Electric variables measurement; Electrodes; Energy management; Energy measurement; Fault currents; Hazards; Performance evaluation; Power measurement; Power system management; System testing;
Conference_Titel :
Petroleum and Chemical Industry conference, 1998. Industry Applications Society 45th Annual
Conference_Location :
Indianapolis, IN
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-4897-4
DOI :
10.1109/PCICON.1998.728000
